Valve-gear for gas engines or motors.



5 No. 855,146. PATENTED MAY 28, 1907.

. F- A. THOMAS. I

VALVE GEAR FOR GAS ENGINES 0R MOTORS.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20, 1903.

2 SHEBTS -SHEET 1.

II [I II II II II ll-ll II II II II II II I I I II II II I II II llll ll ljl m l No. 855,146. PATENTED MAY 28, 1907.

A F. A. THOMAS.

VALVE GEAR FOR GAS ENGINES OR MOTORS.

' APPLIOAI'ION FILED NOV. 20, 1903. Y

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. unumnmu UNITED STATES .PATEN T OFFICE.

FRANK A. THOMAS, OF THREE RIVERS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORTO THE SHEFFIELD CAR COMPANY,

OF THREE RIVERS, MICHIGAN.

VALVE-GEAR FOR GAS ENGINES OR MOTORS- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that ITFRANK A. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Three Rivers, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Michigan, have invented certain 'newand useful Improvements in Valve -Gear for Gas-Engines or Motors, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in' valve/gear for explosive engines, The main ob ect of th s invention-is to provide 1n a gas engine or motor an improved means for operating'the spa in .th

. following specification;

, The lnvention is clearly defined and point: ed out in the claims.

A structure embodying. the features of my invention is fully illustrated in the accom panying drawinglforming a part of this specification, 1n whic Figure 1 is a detail side elevationview ofa structure embodying the features; of. my in"-. s

vention. Fig 2 is a detail plan view of the structure appearing in Fig. 1'. Fig. 3 is anenlarged detail sectional view taken on a line corresponding to line 3 3 of Fig. 2, Fi 4 is an enlarged detail longitudinal .sectiona view taken on lines 4 4 of Figs. 5', 6 and 7. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail cross-sectional view taken 7 on a llne' corresponding to line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detal sectional view taken .on line 6 6 of Fig. 4. Fig. '7 is. a-detail sectional view taken on'a line correspondin to line 7 7 ofFig. 4.

. In the drawin the sectional views are taken looking in the direction of the little arrows at the ends of the section lines, and similar letters of reference refer to. similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing, A represents the. frame, which may be of any desired form to properly support the operative parts of the machine.

B re resents the engine cylinder. 1 Ont e driw'n shat D of the engine is a sprocket wheel A collar D is secured to.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed November 20, 1908. Serial No. 181,952.

en the engine is- -cam shaft isa sprocket wheel G.

' thereon, valve F. c. The cam c is loosely mounted on the shaft Patented May 28,1907.

the shaft D by a set screw, as illustrated, or

by any other suitable means. .The collar D is provided with a laterally projecting arm or.

lug D which projects over the hub. of the sprocket whee E. On the hub of the sprocket wheel E is an outwardly rojecting lug or tooth E adapted to engage t cam on the gollar, thus. connecting the wheel with the shaft. (See; Figs. 2 and 3). When the shaft isdri-ven in one direction, the arm or collar enga es one side of the lug, and when driven, in t e opposite direction it engages the opposite side.

A cam shaft C is provided. Keyed to li hilis e sprocket wheels E and G are connected by t e sprocket chain G. On the shaft C are cams d, c and c, for the sparker, the exhaust valve, and theinlet valve, respectively. The

sparkerconsists of a movable and a' stationary electrode of the usual or "any desired construction. i

The rock shaft e ofthemovableelectrode isprovided with a suitable crank arm which isconnected by the link eto the pivoted The lever-e is provided with an upwardly projecting cam m which is enga ed by a ivoted tooth d on the cam whee d,

cam lever e.

where y the lever eis actuated. See Figs. 1 and 5.) This ivoted tooth d orms the cam on the wheel d. The cam wheel (1 is se-v cured to the shaft C by ablp means; d d f -s rin e is rovi e or a lyin'gtension tr the lever e. This springy t ough the connections described, serves to return the movable electrode to its initial position. By means ofthe connection described, of the sprocket wheel E to the driving shaft D, the

a key or other suitvspark'er is actuated at theproper time in the stroke of the piston, when the engine is drivenin either direction.

A pivoted lever or arm f, having a cam it rests upon the stem of the exhaust The lever f is actuated by the cam C. 'A key. C is carried by the shaft C. Ihe cam c is rovided with-an internal groove 9 into whic the key C projects. stop or tooth g is provided for engaging the key so that the cam is revolved with the shaft.- This stop or tooth is properly loca't'edso that the is'ein proper relatlomto the-i sparker Ibo and durable.

cam. When the shaft is reversed the cam is automatically shifted so that it still maintains its proper relation to the sparker cam.

A pivoted arm or lever f having a cam 11/ thereon is provided for the inlet valve F. This cam or lever is actuated'by a cam c.

The earn 0 is also loosely mounted on the shaft 0. This cam is provided with a groove h to receive the key C, the end of the groove forming a stop it therefor. This groove is located so that the 'cam c is positioned in proper relation to the sparker and the exaust valve actuating cams. The groove h is of such length that when the shaft is reversed the cam is shifted so that its proper relation to the sparker and exhaust cams is maintained.

W'ith the parts thus arranged, the engine may be driven in either direction and the valves and the sparker will be operated in proper sequence. The adjustment is entirely automatic, which is, of course, of great advantage.

The cam c is provided with a hub c which projects into a suitable bearing in the supporting bracket B, thereby forming a support for the cam shaft. The cams c c are yieldingly held in position by the coiled spring L. This spring i is arranged on the shaft C to bear against the cam c. The other end of the spring rests in the socket c which is suitably connected. to the shaft.

My improved gas engine or motor is economical to construct and not likely to get out of repair. It is also very simple and compact I have illustrated and described the same in the form preferred by me on account of'its simplicity and durability, and the economy of producing the same. I am aware, however, that it is capable of considerable variation in structural details without departing from my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In a gas engine, the combination witha driving shaft, of a sprocket wheel loosely mounted thereon having a projecti In or tooth on the hub thereof; a collar fixe to said shaft having a projecting drivinglug adapted to enga e the lug on said sprocket wheel whereby the position of said s rocket wheel is shifted on the reversin ing shaft; a cam shaft; a sproc et wheel on said cam shaft; a connecting chain for said sprockets; exhaust and inlet valves; a sparker actuating lever having a cam projection thereon; a spring for returning said sparker lever to its initial position; a sparker cam having a pivoted tooth adapted to engage said cam projection on said sparker lever; an

exhaust valve actuating cam loosely mounted on said cam shaft; an air inlet valve actuating cam loosely mounted on said cam shaft; means for limiting the movement of said inof t e drivlet and exhaust valve cams on said cam shaft, whereby the cams assume their proper relative positions for the actuation of the valves and sparker, when the cam shaft is driven in either direction.

2. In a gas engine, the combination dth a driving shaft, of a sprocket wheel loosely mounted thereon having a projecting lug or tooth on the hub thereof; a collar fixed to said shaft having a projecting driving lug adapted to engage the lug on said sprocket wheel whereby the position of said sprocket wheel is shifted on the reversing of the driving shaft; a cam shaft; a sprocket wheel on said cam shaft; a connecting chain for said sprockets; exhaust and inlet valves; a sparker actuating lever having a cam projection thereon; a sparker cam having a pivot ed tooth adapted to engage said cam projection on said sparker lever; an exhaust valve actuating cam loosely mounted on said cam shaft an air inlet valve actuating cam loosely mounted on said cam shaft; means for lin1iting the movement of said inlet and exhaust valve cams on said cam shaft, whereby the oams assume their proper relative positions for the actuation of the valves and sparker, when the cam shaft is driven in either direction.

3. In a gas engine, the combination with a cam shaft; exhaust and inlet valves; asparkcr actuating lever having acam projection thereon aspring for returning said sparkcr lever to its initial position; a sparker cam having a pivoted tooth adapted to engage said cam projection on said sparker lever; an exhaust valve actuating cam loosely mounted on said cam shaft; an air inlet valve actuating cam loosely mounted on said cam shaft; means for limiting the movement of said inlet and exhaust valve cams on said cam shaft, whereby the cams assume their proper relative positions for the actuation of the valves and sparker when the cam shaft is driven in either direction.

4. In a gas engine, the combination with a cam shaft, of exhaust and inlet valves; a sparker actuating lever having a cam projection thereon; a sparker cam having a pivoted tooth adapted to engage said cam projection on said sparker lever; an exhaust valve actuating cam loosely mounted on said cam shaft; an air inlet valve actuating cam loosely mounted on said cam shaft; means for limiting the movement of said inlet and exhaust valve cams on said cam shaft, whereby the cams assume their roper relative ositions for the actuation of the valves an sparker when the cam shaft is driven in either direction.

5. In a gas'engine, the combination with a cam shaft, of exhaust and inlet valves; a sparker; a sparker cam having a pivoted cam tooth; an exhaust valve actuating cam loosely mounted on. said cam shaft; an air in- 'shaft-is driven in either direction.

let valve actuating cam loosely mounted on I said cam shaft; means for Emilia? the movement of said inlet and eichaust Va, ve cams on said cam shaft, whereby the cams assume 4 their proper relative ositi'ons for the actuia,

tion of thevalves an sparker when the cam in witness whereof Lhave hereunto set my hand and seal nesses. I A FRANK A. THOMAS. [LQBI] Witnesses:

' the presence of'two wit- 

